The present invention relates to a press installation that has working stages with a press frame having press supports, a press bed, a headpiece, and turnbuckles which rigidly connect the press supports, the press bed, and the headpiece with one another. The press installation has a slide for forming that extends along a plurality of the working stages, a transfer device that transfers workpieces between the working stages, and driving devices that drive the slide and the transfer device.
In such a press installation, the working of sheet metal parts (workpieces) takes place in several working steps. The necessity for reducing investment and operating costs has resulted in a combining of working steps carried out on individual presses in press trains by using compact, multistage multiframe presses.
The previous development direction of such press installations is shown in FIGS. 1A to 1F of the U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,665.
An object of the present invention is to significantly lower the investment and operating costs of such press installations. This goal can be achieved by the reduction of the number of component parts and by the taking-over (integrating) of several functions into remaining components, as in the present invention.
This and other objects are achieved by the present invention which provides a press installation that has working stages with a press frame having press supports, a press bed, a headpiece, and turnbuckles which rigidly connect the press supports, the press bed, and the headpiece with one another. The press installation has a slide for forming that extends along a plurality of the working stages, a transfer device that transfers workpieces between the working stages, and driving devices that drive the slide and the transfer device. Connecting rods link the slide without pressure points and therefore directly in four linking points. The centers of the two linking points respectively of one side of the slide and of two turnbuckles situated opposite one another in the press frame are arranged on a common line which is aligned horizontally and vertically with respect to a press passage. The slide is an outer slide, while inner slides are provided in the working stages, these inner slides being vertically slidably disposed via guides. At least one overload safety device is respectively arranged between each of the inner slides and the outer slide, the overload safety device including a pressure space in a pressure cylinder and a piston. The pressure space is prestressed for operation of the press installation while admitting pressure via pressure lines to the piston and thereby to the inner slide in a vertically downward direction.
One of the advantages of the present invention is the provision of a compact, short press installation while intermediate depositing areas are eliminated and the press driving elements are reduced.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.